Photo courtesy of Lexus

I had been writing and reading about the HS for almost a year by the time I purchased it, but it wasn’t just the fuel efficiency or the “hybrid-only luxury” tag that attracted me to the vehicle, it was also the fact that the Toyota takes recycling to a whole new level with the HS.

Approximately 30% of the plastic used in the interior and trunk space comes from carbon-neutral Ecological Plastic. These plastics are made from a plant-based materials and off-gas less carbon dioxide during their lifecycle than traditional plastics. Additionally, Ecological Plastic can be recycled and reused numerous times. While it doesn’t appear that Lexus has a program in place to recycle these parts just yet — the car is brand new, after all — it is good to know that they can be recycled and won’t sit in a landfill for the next 10,000 years.

After reading this, if you’re asking yourself about the use of plastic in a luxury vehicle, let me assure you that this is not a cheaply made car. Ecological Plastic is used in the seat cushions, on the door scuff plate, in the toolbox area and other parts of the car where petroleum-based plastics are traditionally used. These pieces help reduce the HS 250h’s plastic-based carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 20%. This isn’t only good news for the environment, but this is also good news for my children, who ride in the car daily.

OK, great, the car uses some recyclable plant-based plastics, but how is its fuel efficiency? Well, it isn’t as good as the 50-mpg Toyota Prius, but it is much better than my previous vehicle. The official EPA ratings for the Lexus HS 250h are 35 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. Obviously, I’m not a typical driver, because I get about 33 mpg in the city and closer to 40 mpg on the highway. When I was commuting from the edge of the suburbs into the city center for the Greenbuild conference in November 2009, I was getting about 45 mpg.

Overall, I’ve been very happy with the car. I enjoy zero-emission idling at my children’s school while waiting to pick them up in the afternoon. I enjoy filling up my tank one time a week instead of two, and I definitely enjoy it when my children ask me to put it in EV mode around the neighborhood.

Note from the author:

As you may have heard, the 2010 Lexus HS 250h as well as the third-generation 2010 Toyota Prius were part of a new recall announced recently due to a delayed response by the braking system. Although the vast majority of reported problems were specific to the Prius, Toyota has chosen to include the Lexus HS 250h in this recall because the brake system is similar in both vehicles.

The delayed response reportedly occurs more frequently in colder climates or on rough and/or slick roads. Toyota encourages owners to forcefully press down on their brakes if the braking system doesn’t instantly respond. Toyota is not asking owners to discontinue driving the recalled vehicles, as no brake failures have been reported.

As an owner of the 2010 Lexus HS 250h, I have not personally experienced this problem in the four or so months that I’ve been driving the car. However, I am driving more cautiously these days just to be safe. I encourage other owners to do their own research and come to their own conclusions about the safety of driving the car before the problem can be repaired.

For more information, visit the Toyota recall website at toyota.com/recall.

Nissan is making recycling of lithium-ion batteries a hot topic.

There currently is no existing supply of large-capacity reusable lithium-ion batteries, and Nissan hopes to fill that niche by becoming the world’s first company to provide a zero-emission car. Not only that, but the lithium-ion batteries will also be able to be reused and recycled.

Nissan is focusing on launching these electric vehicles with reusable lithium-ion batteries by 2012. Once these vehicles reach the normal end-of-life cycle, their batteries are expected to retain 70% to 80% of residual capacity and will be reused and resold to other markets for energy storage.

The second-life batteries are expected to be reused in the following applications:

• Energy storage for photovoltaic solar panels (residential and commercial)
• Backup power supplies
• Load-leveling for the electricity grid
• Leveling of energy from photovoltaic solar and wind power

A search for the latest and greatest in sustainable countertops turns up countless products comprising recycled materials, and these are just some of those pioneering products:

• Vetrazzo is a countertop alternative made of recycled glass from curbside recycling programs (which makes up 85% of the surface), cement, additives and pigment. It’s durable and can withstand up to 600º Fahrenheit. As part of its own recycling program, the company will take your old Vetrazzo countertop and remanufacture it to create another, if useable.
• Bamboo is rapidly renewable, water resistant and naturally bacteria resistant. It also makes it a great choice for a countertop material. Teragren has a few different bamboo countertops to choose from that are durable and up to 154% harder than red oak. They are low-emission, formaldehyde-free materials that can be used for counters, islands and tabletops.
• Alkemi countertops are made of post-industrial scrap waste of the fine flakes left over from aluminum milling. While traditional aluminum recycling involves a heavy smoke pollutant, Alkemi saves the scrap aluminum from such a fate. The countertops are durable and can be installed in commercial or residential settings.
• Even recycled paper can be the basis of a countertop. A company named PaperStone manufactures countertops made from paper, including three different versions: 100% post-consumer cardboard, 100% recycled office paper or virgin fiber. All of these versions are made with a petroleum-free phenolic resin that is cashew shell liquid-based and does not emit any VOCs or formaldehyde.

Recycled wood

Recycled (reclaimed) wood flooring is one of the best choices in wood flooring because it accomplishes two very sustainable practices. First, no new wood is required, which means no removal of trees from nature. Recycled wood reuses wood that would be otherwise thrown into landfills.

Most recycled wood flooring is taken from old structures such as buildings, bridges and warehouses and is broken apart and reformed to make beautiful wood flooring. This type of wood flooring is also surprisingly higher quality. Because it’s so old, the wood tends to be harder and denser, which allows it to last longer and handle a lot more foot traffic. Pine, oak, ash, chestnut and walnut species offer great variety to fit any home.

Bamboo

Bamboo flooring is another excellent flooring choice. Bamboo requires very little maintenance such as pesticides or irrigation, so it can easily grow and be harvested in its natural habitat without causing harm to the environment. Bamboo also regrows within three to five years, whereas a tree takes a minimum of 25 years to mature. Bamboo is also harder than other common wood used for flooring, so it will last longer. Bamboo gives you more for your money in the long run; besides, it’s beautiful and comfortable to walk barefoot on.

To find out more on these wood flooring options and more, check out these retailers: EcoTimber, Eco-Friendly Flooring and FloorsByNature.

Vida Verde can help homeowners live to their greenest potential.

Thankfully, I have always been a fan of salvage. But, today, even dumpster diving can take on an entirely upscale meaning. Thanks to the  building and remodeling boon there has been a real growth in what is called “deconstruction.” This old/new idea has led to a real surplus of both luxury and vintage building materials. There are many businesses now specializing in this field offering  a virtual treasure trove of products that run from luxury (granite) to green (bamboo). On any given week you will find unique and interesting items that can be used to build, remodel or simply redecorate a home.

From Habitat for Humanity to your local city or county dump, it’s “in” to sell/buy or trade salvage. Search for the term “reuse” and you undoubtedly will field a great deal of local sites dedicated to unwanted construction materials. Reuse facilities offer training and courses on how to use or repurpose many items — from building an entire home to reconstructing an existing home with only recycled  materials. Many cities are now including their own recycling yards and adding online boards from which to purchase, trade, sell or simply give away building materials.

Green building incorporates many recycled products. Several companies already manufacture many products made of recycled content — from countertops, to tiles, to flooring, to carpet and insulation, it’s endless. You can make your own repurposed or “upcycled” items by being inventive and thinking outside the box. Rather than send bottles to recycling facility, break them down (with the necessary safety precautions) to make your own landscape accents to fill in bedding or containers. And, don’t be afraid to see what is available to freshen your kitchen or bath, as there are cabinet boxes and doors and knobs all available and easy to install.

Take old doors and find leaded glass windows. Replace the interior panels of doors with the windows or insert etched glass or even resins for a transparent yet strong focal point. Take windows and etch the glass yourself and insert (within the existing frame) or hang in front of the window as a unique window treatment that still provides privacy but allows for light transmission. Old doors and windows can be refashioned into fireplace screens or room dividers. They can function as wall decor, headboards or desktops with minimal tweaking. These are great for apartments and are very affordable.

Art is another way to find practical ways to reuse. Find artists willing to work with recycled materials. Many talented craftsman are finding ways to incorporate upcyled items in their work — I’ve seen lamps made of old pipes and chairs from street signs. Another artist uses dishware and crystal to fashion amazing chandeliers and lighting fixtures. Even newspapers are being used to make pillows. The possibilities of old materials being crafted into new uses are endless.

Tanya Stock, Vida Verde

Recycling is not trashing, it’s saving. Find new ways to reuse old materials in modern and green ways. Reuse, restore and reconfigure.

Tanya Stock is the principal of Vida Verde, a Seattle-based green-building consultant. Believing that green is more than a color, Vida Verde works with those who are seeking their right shade of green. Sustainable building is more than just a building, it’s the lives and works of those occupying it. A building should provide a quality of life that is not only good for its occupants, but also the planet. It’s not easy being green, but it doesn’t have to be hard, and that is the why Vida Verde is finding easy solutions that are both eco-friendly and affordable.

Green Diamond Tire in Colorado remodels used tires and resells them. The manufacturing technology to overhaul used tires and have them snow ready comes from Iceland. Green Diamond offers online purchasing, and sells its tires in stores in Alaska, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, New York and Pennsylvania. Remodeling used tires saves them from landfills and uses less resources than producing tires from scratch.

Nokian Tires uses LA (low aromatic) oil instead of HA (high aromatic) toxic oils to produce its tires. HA oils contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are carcinogenic. The LA oils comprise less than 3% of PAH compounds. The company’s winter weather selection features tires with purified oils, which are not harmful to the environment as your tires wear down. Nokian also claims its tires have “low rolling resistance,” which causes drivers to use less fuel than normal. Use the dealer locator to find a retailer near you.

Yokohama Tires makes a tire made from orange oil, reducing the need for petroleum-based products. The company’s environmentally friendly line also features low rolling resistance for better fuel efficiency. According to Yokohama, one tank of gas saved can save 20 gallons of carbon emissions.

If it’s time to trade in your old tires for eco-friendly ones, 1-800-RECYCLING can help you find a tire recycling location near you.

Coffee grounds are an eco-friendly deicing option.

With the winter months comes the possibility for snow and ice. Traditionally, we use salt to tackle ice on sidewalks and driveways.

Salt is effective in melting the ice and prevents slipping, but it comes with a cost. When you use salt, it gathers in soil in concentrated forms and can be destructive to the environment. Salt has an adverse effect on plants by restricting them from properly absorbing water and nutrition. Salt is also known for leeching heavy metals in the soil, which can eventually make their way into water systems. While an occasional use of salt won’t harm much, avoiding it is the best eco-friendly option.

If you’re looking for a salt alternative, use old coffee grounds. Most people have heard of coffee’s benefits in the garden, but when you’re in the dead of winter, what do you do with your used coffee grounds? Use them to prevent slipping! Keep a 5-gallon bucket in your garage and drop in your post-java grounds. When it snows, throw the grounds on your sidewalks and driveway to effectively prevent slipping.

According to The Daily Green, beet juice is being used as an earth-friendly deicing option this winter season. Some U.S. cities, including Chicago, are planning to test out this environmentally safe alternative that can also be purchased under the brand name GEOMELT. This beet juice combination is said to be just as effective as chemical deicers but is safer for the environment.

Your best option: simply shovel as early as possible. Most ice build-up is to due to the snow accumulating, melting a bit and refreezing again. The faster you can get the snow off your sidewalk and driveway, the better chance you have of little or no ice. It’s old fashion and requires the most work, but in the end you’ll have safe walkways without the use of salt or harmful deicing chemicals. And remember: Always keep in mind that everything placed on the ground could work its way to plants, waterways and your environment.

An estimated 130 million homes across the U.S. generate more than 20% of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions, while commercial buildings account for 17%. But, with current energy-saving techniques and technologies, home energy use can be reduced by as much as 40%. Not only that, but it can also reduce up to 160 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually by 2020 and reduce home energy bills by $21 billion annually. The stimulus aspects include spurring growth in the home energy-efficiency retrofit industry and creating green jobs.

Cash for Caulkers would cost $23 billion over two years, paying out $2,000 to $4,000 to consumers for no more than half the cost of weatherizing their residences. The plan’s major points are outlined here:

• Develop energy performance labels for new homes that are built meeting energy-efficiency standards, similar to Energy Star labels on home appliances.
• Develop and establish a national standardized home energy performance label for existing homes so that consumers understand how much retrofitting their homes would save in energy and cost.
• Through property tax or municipal energy financing, allow the retrofit costs to be added to the consumer’s property tax bill to be paid monthly.
• Make it easier to finance energy retrofits at a home’s point of sale through Energy Efficient Mortgages.
• Allow consumers in all 50 states to borrow money for home energy retrofits from private firms at low interest rates.
• Set national standards to qualify energy efficiency and industry training providers to establish consumer confidence.

The plan has lofty goals, including reducing enough emissions that equates to removing half the cars off the road in the U.S., although it has complications. First, there is the opportunity for fraud. The other factor is that many consumers still may not see the feasibility of paying for something now that may pay off in the future. Other consumers may simply not care to weatherize or can’t afford it. Also, sufficient contractors and products haven’t been proven to be in place yet.

Many homes are not weatherized, but can still benefit from it, as heating and cooling costs count for up to half of a home’s energy usage. Cash for Caulkers or not, there are ways you can prepare your home for wintry weather that can save you cash and cut your energy consumption:

• Hire an energy auditor to check out your home’s energy efficiency and show you where improvements can be made.
• Regulate your home’s temperature whether you are home or away with a programmable thermostat. It’s one of the easiest ways to save energy.
• Sealing air leaks and adding insulation can save up to 20% on heating and cooling costs.
• Have energy-efficient, properly sized heating equipment installed by a contractor who meets guidelines set by Energy Star and the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA).
• Check and change your air filter regularly.
• Get your HVAC tuned up yearly.
• Seal your heating and cooling ducts, because 20% of air that goes through a duct system is lost through leaks, holes and improperly ducts.
• Install new energy-efficient windows with an Energy Star label for your area’s climate. Or, improve your old ones with seal-and-strip caulk and window film to keep the draft out.
• Use a space heater when you only need to keep one room or area warm.

I found a great list of recipes at Eco-Cycle.org for a nontoxic all-purpose cleaner; window, kitchen and bathroom cleaners; air freshener; furniture polish; silver polish; laundry detergent; and more.

Most of the recipes are mixtures of the same ingredients, such as baking soda, borax, all-natural soap, water, washing soda and white vinegar or lemon juice.

I grabbed my reusable bag and skipped to the Publix a few blocks away. Since I was unsure of what cleaner I was going to make, I bought three typical ingredients — borax ($3.79), baking soda ($2.69) and white vinegar ($1.99).

When I got back home, I did a quick inventory of the dirtiest thing in my house — bathroom mirror wins! To make the glass cleaner, I mixed two tablespoons of borax in three cups of warm water. After I stirred my mixture and the borax dissolved, I poured it into an empty plastic spray bottle that I usually use to water my plants. Then I labeled the bottle “homemade window cleaner” for easy identification.

I read a tip to wipe glass and mirrors with newspaper to avoid streaking. I did this, although it still seemed streaky to me. The mixture didn’t wipe away as quickly as glass cleaners that I’ve bought in the past, but once I buffed it out longer, it was beautiful and streak-free.

The box of borax I purchased is 4 lbs. 12 oz., so I can definitely say making your own cleaners is more economical. I only used two tablespoons for the window cleaner! Plus, I know exactly what is in my household air from that cleaning.

I think I’ll be trying the drain cleaner soon — half-a-cup of borax down the drain, followed by two cups of boiling water.

Happy cleaning!

That’s what many eco-diehards do. It’s also what women did back in the day, long before mass-produced household cleaners hit the grocery shelves.

• White vinegar is an amazing, natural all-purpose cleaner. It kills mold, bacteria and germs without the harsh chemicals. You can use it as needed to clean just about anything, from counters, tile and toilets to appliances and chrome. There are more than 1,001 uses for vinegar in the home, and it’s even a home remedy for minor ailments.
• Lemon juice is great for combating soap scum and hard water deposits. It can also get brass and copper shiny and new-looking again. One trick is to grind up lemon peels in your garbage disposal after use — your kitchen will smell delicious afterward.
• Baking soda has a mildly abrasive quality that’s perfect for scouring dirty dishes, pots, sinks and tubs. Try it as a deodorizer in your refrigerator or run it down a slow-running drain with hot water to get it moving again.
• Borax is a chemical that occurs naturally and can handle a variety of jobs: laundry, deodorizing, cleaning carpets, killing mold and mildew and exterminating insects.
  

Coming from Seattle, I have been trained to have a few eco-friendly products around the house, and the cleaning process results in unearthing a green cleaner or two. The particular bottle I have to help cleanse the bathroom is one from a green line of the popular Scrubbing Bubbles brand called Nature’s Source Natural Bathroom Cleaner. A few minutes of attacking the bottom of the tub with this product led to my contemplation of three key differences between this earth-conscious spray and the more traditional chemicals.

First, as to be expected, there is a price discrepancy between regular cleaning supplies and their green counterparts. The usual cost difference ranges from 20 cents to upwards of a couple dollars. Companies that produce such “natural” substances bank on the fact that a boost to the social conscious will override a hit to the pocketbook. After being processed by the cashier, one usually forgets the painful twinge brought about by comparing price tags.

Second — and perhaps this only applies to cleaning products — there is a highly noticeable difference in smell between traditional cleaners and their green alternatives. Growing up in a time when chlorine, bleaches and powerful chemicals were frequently used to nuke a bathtub or toilet, an encounter with a product that exhibits a remarkably less powerful scent struck me as peculiar. Sure the “clean” smell was present with its lemony fragrance, but it was a far cry from the stuff that constricts your lungs and make your eyes water after soaking a poorly ventilated bathroom in it. Any college kid who has prepared to have a parent or landlord come over will appreciate this fact.

Lastly, there is the question of a green cleaner’s effectiveness. To me, scrubbing a bathtub always results in little more than sweating, panting and the need for a beer afterward, regardless of which product I utilize. But, to the more discerning folk, there appears to be a noticeable difference. “It’s weaker,” explained my girlfriend. With her amazing attention to detail and critical mind, she commented that the potent traditional cleaners can be splashed on and later rinsed off, whereas this new age, environmentally conscious stuff requires a more pronounced effort of scrubbing.

In short, there will always be positives and negatives to any given product; it just depends on who you are and what you feel is the most important factor (cost, eco-friendliness, likelihood of inhaling dizzying fumes, etc.) that should dictate which product you purchase. Companies are starting to offer both traditional and green options in almost anything, and while the green options do promote healthier living and a better environment, there will be inherent differences we all must expect.

If you’re one of those people, or you think you might be one day, here are a few reasons you might consider choosing a “green” service to do your dirty work:

1. The products they use are better for the environment. Many standard cleaning products contain high levels of phosphates and volatile organic compounds, which can contribute to air pollution, plus any number of other chemicals that can pollute water supplies. High-quality green cleaning products do not contain these chemicals. Some green cleaning services even use homemade cleaning products made out of vinegar and other natural substances.
2. Keeping harsh chemicals out of your home is safer for your family and pets. Some of the same substances in cleaning products that can pollute the earth also have the potential to irritate the eyes, lungs and skin (think chlorine, ammonia and heavy metals). Such substances can be particularly harmful to small children and pets.
3. Employees of green cleaning services aren’t put in danger by having to breathe or touch chemicals. Supporting house cleaning companies that use natural products keeps them in business, which in turn allows them to hire more housecleaners who may have otherwise had to clean with chemicals day in and day out — a potentially dangerous situation.

Environmentally friendly cleaning services may cost more, but if I ever decide to shell out for a house cleaner at all, I’ll definitely go green. It just seems like the responsible thing to do — for myself and the rest of the planet.