Green Dwelling

Green Home: Updating Cooling System

noreply@blogger.com (Tanya Broun) — Sat, 29 May 2010 03:20:00 +0000

If your air conditioner is 10 years and older, there is probably very little "green" about it except it costs you some extra "green" in terms of your monthly electrical bill. However if the unit has been recently upgraded you need to find out its SEER number to determine how efficient (aka "green") it is. As of January 2006, the federal government mandates that all new central air conditioning equipment be at least 13 SEER, but there is equipment available that is rated as high as 18 and even 23 SEER. If your AC's SEER number is above 15, it is certainly a "green" one!

What is SEER Number?
The efficiency of air conditioners is rated by the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) which is defined by the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute in its standard ARI 210=240, Performance Rating of Unitary Air-Conditioning and Air-Source Heat Pump Equipment.

The SEER rating of a unit is the cooling output in Btu (British thermal unit) during a typical cooling-season divided by the total electric energy input in watt-hours during the same period. The higher the unit's SEER rating the more energy efficient it is.

Check out Cooling Calculator provided by ACdoctor.com to see the impact on your wallet and your environmental footprint that higher SEER air conditioning can have for you.

Green Home: Updating Water Heater

noreply@blogger.com (Tanya Broun) — Thu, 27 May 2010 03:42:00 +0000

According to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (part of DOE), water heating is the third-largest expense in most homes, accounting for 14% to 25% of a home's expenses. In some cases, that percentage may even be higher, which means energy-conserving hot water solutions also could result in big cost savings for homeowners under current economic conditions.

Nowadays, the most popular energy-efficient option for water heating is a tank-less water heater, also known as an on-demand system. Unlike a traditional tank that heats a reservoir of water 24 hours a day, a tank-less unit activates only as needed. When there is a demand for heated water, cold water travels through the tank-less unit, where a gas burner quickly heats it to the preset temperature.

According to SmarterHotWater.com, a Web site launched by Alabama-based Rheem Manufacturing, the average annual operating cost for a conventional water storage is between $230 and $285, nearly twice the cost for a tank-less system. (Rheem estimates a thankless hot water heater would cost $165 to $170 annually to operate.)

Conventional to Tankless Comparison:

Conventional Water Heater Pros	Tank-less Water Heater Pros
Long history record Low production/installation cost Inexpensive replacement cost Energy Star products available	Saves energy Highly efficient Never runs out of hot water Compact size Life expectancy 20+years
Conventional Water Heater Cons	Tank-less Water Heater Cons
Always in an "on" mode Bulky and takes space Size may not be adequate for the size of family Life expectancy - 12 to 15 years	High production/installation cost Difficult to install if retrofit is required Most effective only with gas mode

Bottom Line
While tank-less technology can reduce a home's energy costs by as much as 25% annually compared to a standard 40-gallon tank heater, there are other considerations. Standard storage tanks now qualify for Energy Star certification. And tank-less systems may have other issues that negate its energy performance and lower operating costs. Weighing your household’s needs against the pros and cons of both water heater options is a key to making the right and hopefully “green” decision.

Green Home: Eco-friendly Flooring/Cabinetry

noreply@blogger.com (Tanya Broun) — Sun, 23 May 2010 02:03:00 +0000

Do you have laminate, engineered or bamboo flooring? Have you refinished your existing hard wood flooring instead of replacing it? Have you installed carpeting made of recycled materials? If your answer was "yes" to any of the above, then you've done another good deed for yourself and Mother Nature.

What about your kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities? Do they carry Forest Stewardship Council's seal of approval?

What is eco-friendly flooring/cabinetry?

Sustainable (aka eco-friendly) flooring and cabinets are produced from sustainable materials (and by a sustainable process) that reduces demands on ecosystems during its life-cycle. This includes harvest, production, use and disposal. It is thought that sustainable flooring/cabinets create safer and healthier living environments.
For additional information on sustainable wood products go to Forest Stewardship Council website

Green Home: Low or Zero VOC Finishes

noreply@blogger.com (Tanya Broun) — Wed, 19 May 2010 02:11:00 +0000

If you have taken advantage of many low or zero VOC paint products available on the market you have not only considered the environment but also made your home a better (safer) place. Almost every paint manufacturer in the US has come up with at least one eco-friendly product. It sometimes seems that these companies don’t do enough to market the "green stuff" or consumers choose to ignore eco-friendly options in fear of a higher price tag. Ironically, in many cases, green products are same price or 10-15% more. Some of them are poor quality when compared to conventional products however with little Googling one can find a good one.

What are VOCs?

As identified by the Environmental Protection Agency, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors. VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands. Examples include: paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbon-less copy paper, graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions.

For more information about VOCs and Eco-friendly paint options please read my blog post from April 2010

Green Home: Energy Star Appliances

noreply@blogger.com (Tanya Broun) — Sun, 16 May 2010 02:57:00 +0000

If you have newer appliances, it is very likely that they carry an Energy Star seal of approval. If you are not sure, check the user manual or Google by the brand/model number.

What is Energy Star?

Energy Star is a trusted, government-backed symbol for energy efficiency helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices.

The ENERGY STAR label was established to:

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants caused by the inefficient use of energy; and
Make it easy for consumers to identify and purchase energy-efficient products that offer savings on energy bills without sacrificing performance, features, and comfort.

For more information, visit EnergyStar.gov

Green Home: Water Saving Toilets and Bath Fixtures

noreply@blogger.com (Tanya Broun) — Wed, 12 May 2010 03:37:00 +0000

If every home installed WaterSense bathroom faucets, it would result in savings of 60 billion gallons of water a year - enough to supply Miami with water for 150 days!

Just like many modern appliances carry an EnergyStar seal of approval, eco-friendly bath fixtures and toilets that meet the EPA criteria bear a WaterSense label.

WaterSense is a partnership program sponsored by the EPA with the goal of protecting the future of the US's water supply. WaterSense is not a regulatory program, but rather a voluntary program. The EPA develops specifications for water efficient products through a public process. If a manufacturer makes a product that meets those specifications, the product is eligible for third-party testing to ensure the stated efficiency and performance criteria have been met. If the product passes the test, the manufacturer is rewarded with the right to put the WaterSense label on that product.

Lowe's website serves as an excellent reference guide for learning more about and/or shopping for a WaterSense faucet, toilets, etc.

Water Saving Toilets

Single flush or double flush, the commodes have gone through a tremendous transformation in the past decade. While the bowl has pretty much stayed in its traditional shape, the tank has become smaller and the valve a bit more powerful – hence the need for less water. While 10 years ago, 3.5 gallons per single flush was considered a good number, these days 1.6 gallons per flush is perceived as not "green."

Single-flush toilets boasting a WaterSense seal of approval use 1.28 gallons of water per flush. Going with a dual-flush toilet will not only beat that number by .3-.4 gallons but will also provide you with flexibility (quick flush or major flush). In addition to that, dual-flush toilets are often the most slick and modern looking toilets on the market.

There is also an outstanding solution for those that want to save water but are unable to replace the current commode for whatever reason. SelectAFlush offers a conversion kit that will turn just about any toilet into a dual flush system for only $29.95. This option uses less water than placing a brick or object in the toilet tank as you will never need to do a double flush. All you need to do is replace the parts within the tank with the Dual Flush Toilet Valve and Dual Action Flush Lever. When it's time to flush, pushing the lever to the left will give you a rinse and pushing it to the right will give a full flush. This is a result of two toilet valves at different heights to monitor the amount of water used.

Low-Flow Shower Heads and Faucets

A few years ago, showerheads delivered about 5 to 8 gallons per minute (gpm). The current standard for low-flow heads is 2.5 gpm. Some showerheads deliver only 1.6 gpm. Showerheads that earn the WaterSense label must demonstrate that they use no more than 2.0 gpm. The WaterSense label also ensures that these products provide a satisfactory shower that is equal to or better than conventional showerheads on the market.

The average household could save more than 2,300 gallons per year by installing WaterSense labeled showerheads. Since these water savings will reduce demands on water heaters, households will also save energy. In fact, a household could save 300 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, enough to power its television use for about a year. If every household in the United States installed WaterSense labeled showerheads, we could save more than $1.5 billion in water utility bills and more than 250 billion gallons of water annually, which could supply more than 2.5 million U.S. homes with their water needs for a year. In addition, we could avoid about $2.5 billion in energy costs for heating water.

What's on Your Plate?

noreply@blogger.com (Tanya Broun) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 01:55:00 +0000

Seventh Generation Dish Soap 25oz – cost $3.49-3.99 (plus coupons)

Palmolive Original or Antibacterial Dish Soap 28 oz – cost $3.99

Washing dishes is nobody’s favorite job. To make things more “fun,” unless you spend about 45 seconds on rinsing each plate, there will be some soap residue left behind. Next time you serve food on that plate, part of the residue will be ingested.

If you are using all-natural dish soap, ingesting some of its residue should not pose any health hazards. However if you proudly display a bottle of Palmolive (Dawn etc.) next to your kitchen sink, you are exposing yourself, your family and your guests to some dangerous chemicals. Not to forget about the environmental impact!

The World Wide Web (aka Internet) offers thousands of articles outlining the differences between natural and conventional dish soaps and the environmental/health hazards associated with the latter. Some of these articles are too scientific, some are too limited, some miss the main point(s).

Upon reading at least 50 of those and consulting with the experts, below are the reasons as to why I urge you to switch to an all-natural dish soap.

All conventional dish soaps contain surfactants. A surfactant or surface active agent is a substance that, when dissolved in water, gives a product the ability to remove dirt from surfaces such as the human skin, textiles, and other solids.

Surfactants from natural origin (vegetable or animal) are known as oleo-chemicals and are derived from sources such as palm oil or tallow. All natural dish soap manufacturers use surfactants of fruit/vegetable origin. Seventh Generation dish soap contains surfactants that derive from coconuts.

Surfactants from synthetic origin are known as petrochemicals and are derived from petroleum.

Most commonly used petrochemicals are sulfates and sulfonates.

Let’s explore the petrochemicals that are key ingredients in Palmolive Original Dish Soap and their affect on human health and environment:

Sodium Dodecylbenzene Sulfonate

Toxic to humans, including carcinogenicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and acute toxicity
Water pollutant
Toxicity to aquatic organisms.

Ammonium (aka sodium) Laureth Sulfate

Potentially toxic to humans as per the Journal of the American College of Toxicology it possesses "degenerative effect on the cell membranes because of its protein denaturing properties." What's more, the journal adds, "high levels of skin penetration may occur at even low use concentration."
Other studies have indicated that sodium lauryl sulfate enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, liver, lungs and brain from skin contact.
More research has indicated sodium lauryl sulfate may be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin. Skin layers may separate and inflame due to its protein denaturing properties.

Sodium Xylene Sulfonate

Toxic to humans, including carcinogenicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and acute toxicity
Water pollutant
Toxic to aquatic organisms.

Other Ingredients in Conventional Dish Soaps

Phosphates

Most common phosphates used in soaps and detergents are sodium pyrophosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, tribasic sodium phosphate, trisodium orthophosphate and trisodium phosphate

The increasing phosphate concentrations in surface waters raise the growth of phosphate-dependent organisms, such as algae and duckweed. These organisms use great amounts of oxygen and prevent sunlight from entering the water. This makes the water fairly unlivable for other organisms. This phenomenon is commonly known as eutrophication.

Triclosan (read more about Triclosan in my earlier article)

Low VOC / Zero VOC Paints

noreply@blogger.com (Tanya Broun) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 23:58:00 +0000

The first time I found out about the Zero VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) paints was back in design school. It was a fancy term to use and the first one to mention when discussing green design methods/products with the faculty.

The truth is – Zero VOC paints still contain VOCs. Per EPA Reference Test Method 24, any paint with VOC's in the range of 5 grams/liter or less can be called Zero VOC. Some paint manufacturers produce Zero VOC paint bases, however their color tints contain VOCs; once mixed in, they usually bring the VOC level up to around 10 grams/liter, which is still quite low.

If you care about the well-being of your family and/or concerned about your environmental impact, examining product labels and doing your homework is essential. As an environmentalist's daughter, a designer (Metro Dwelling Designs) and a mother I dedicate a lot of time to searching for the best eco-friendly products on the market.

Here are my Top 3 Zero VOC paint picks that were personally tested and tried over the course of past five years:

#1 ICI/Glidden Lifemaster
ICI/Glidden Lifemaster is my usual go-to paint. The paint goes on easily, requires standard two coats and professional painters swear that there is no difference between Lifemaster and conventional paints such as Behr, Ben Moore etc.
Caution #1:   Lifemaster basic white is truly VOC-free. Once the tint is added, the paint becomes a VERY Low VOC paint. If this concerns you or if you are painting a 5000 square foot house then go with Sherwin Williams Harmony (please see below).
Caution #2:   As with many other paints, if the color of your choice is white and you go with anything beyond flat finish, paint touchups are virtually impossible.
Price/Gallon:   $27.99/gallon
Where to Buy?
The paint is readily available in Charlotte (sold through ICI-Dulux store chain that is now owned by Glidden Professional – locations Uptown, South Blvd and Matthews). These stores sell conventional paints owned by Glidden as well as some paint supplies. The smell inside the stores is horrific and I normally choose to hang out outside while waiting for the order to be fulfilled. I certainly don’t recommend going there with your children or anybody sensitive to smells.

#2 Sherwin Williams Harmony
I have never used Sherwin-Williams Harmony in white however all of the tinted paint applications produced satisfactory results. At the same time some consumer reviews state that Harmony’s "[surface] coverage isn't quite as good as the [conventional] top-rated paints."
Price/Gallon: $37 – 41.00 (depending on finish)
Where to Buy?
Any Sherwin Williams location throughout Charlotte Metro Area

#3 Yolo Colorhouse
Yolo is a great paint that provides great coverage and is easy to apply. It requires two standard coats and has virtually no odor.
Caution: Yolo has an extremely limited color palette. You will easily find a suitable color for a baby room; however you may find it challenging to pick colors for other living spaces. Yolo does not provide color samples but often sells large/wall paper-like color swatches ($5.99/sample).
Where to Buy?
Before Home Depot Design Center closing, Yolo paints were available in the Charlotte Metro Area. These days, Yolo is available through online retailers or directly from the manufacturer.
Price/Gallon:   $44.95

All of the three paint brands above offer some very good primer options. However if you need extra coverage, look into Kilz brand as they have just launched a Zero VOC line.

----------------------------------------------------

Zero or Low VOC does not mean the product is free of chemicals; it most likely does not contain anything that came straight from Mother Nature besides water. If you prefer to stay away from chemicals all together, searching for an all natural paint is the way to go. The only all-natural product I ever tried was a wood finish. At $120/gallon it turned to be nothing but a disaster. Luckily I've experimented in my own house; however seeing the rough, flaky staircase finish on daily basis does not make me happy.

Is your makeup safe?

noreply@blogger.com (Tanya Broun) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 22:28:00 +0000

My Ukrainian grandmother used to tell me over and over that “beauty demands some sacrifices.” She never used anything besides a lipstick and a brow pencil, washed her face with basic soap and occasionally used a moisturizer. Way into her seventies, she stilled looked ten years younger than her actual age…

Whether my day is about meetings with Metro Dwelling Designs’ clients or spending time at a park with my son, by the time I walk out of the house in the morning, I have slathered, smeared and squirted myself with toners, moisturizers, sunscreens, blush, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, gloss and perfume. Many of the chemicals in skincare and makeup have been linked to cancer, hormone imbalances, skin irritation etc. Do I enhance my skin and facial features or jeopardize my health and well-being? I doubt my grandma would approve such sacrifice!

Skincare and makeup – everything from toothpaste and baby care to sunscreen and lipstick – largely go unregulated. The Food and Drug Administration has jurisdiction over cosmetics through the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act and the Environmental Protection Agency oversees chemicals in general. But cosmetics seem to get the least amount of funding and attention and are rarely tested/approved unless a particular product or brand gets a lot of negative buzz from the consumers. Unlike Europe, the U.S. has some of the weakest chemical safety laws in the world. The Americans have a system of having to prove harm before action can be taken to eliminate chemicals.

"Your skin has thousands of pores that are like little mouths that are swallowing what you're putting in your skin," says Craig Minowa, an environmental scientist with the Organic Consumers Association, a Minnesota-based nonprofit. "When you eat something, it goes through your digestive system and the liver can clean out the toxins. But when you put it on your skin, it doesn't get filtered."

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit environmental research organization, which conducted an assessment of more than one thousand cosmetic brands, less than 1 percent is made from ingredients that have all been evaluated for safety. EWG has launched a website providing hazard ratings on most skincare/cosmetic products on the market that has recently replaced Paula Begoun’s Beautipedia as my single source for learning more about the products I am currently using or intend to buy in the near future.

My recent mascara purchase ended up being a health hazard risk of 6 on a scale from 1-10 (10 being the greatest). Hmmm….My blush was a 4. Better than 6 but still risky! What about the stuff on your bathroom counter? I urge you to visit www.cosmeticsdatabase.com to find out!

TO USE OR NOT TO USE: HAND SANITIZER DILEMMA

noreply@blogger.com (Tanya Broun) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 01:46:00 +0000

My friend, let's call her K, a proud mother of a 4 year old felt relief when it was time to send her rambunctious son off to a kinder garden. Little did she know that new problems were about to arise. The occasional birthday cupcakes K expected, have been occurring at least once a week. Happy Friday pizza parties have become a ritual. And then K noticed her son’s hands were getting extremely dry and rough.

It took several days of playing Sherlock and K found the answer – Purell Hand Sanitizer!!!

While my friends and I have been "killing" germs with Thyme oil – key active ingredient in CleanWell Hand Sanitizer, local schools and daycares resort to products with the active ingredients below:

•    Ethyl Alcohol

What is Ethyl Alcohol?

Ethyl alcohol (aka rubbing alcohol) is a cellular, volatile, and flammable liquid.

Health Hazzard?

Rubbing alcohol should be used in a well-ventilated area. Some cautions go so far as to say protective gloves should be worn while using it. Poisoning can occur from ingestion, inhalation, or consumption of rubbing alcohol.

Per Snopes, there are several known instances of children getting poisoned by alcohol-based hand sanitizer through ingestion. While most household chemicals are poisonous when ingested, breathing their vapors is not a good thing either. The drying effect of rubbing alcohol is also nothing to desire, especially for little hands. Most alcohol-based sanitizers contain 62% of ethyl alcohol. That is only 36% less than in those bottles we keep in our medicine cabinets and religiously keep out of children’s reach.

Per CNN’s Dr. Sanjai Gupta, if you look at a 1-year old child weighing about 22 pounds, a squirt of sanitizer is like your child drinking a sip of a mixed drink, so it time we start locking up the hand sanitizer and treating it as a poison!

Hand Sanitizers with Ethyl Alcohol

Purell
Germ-X

•    Benzalconium Chloride

What is Benzalconium Chloride?

Certain quaternary ammonium (that is synonymous to bleach!!!!) compounds are used as antimicrobials and disinfectants. Examples are benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, methylbenzethonium chloride, cetalkonium chloride, cetylpyridinium chloride, cetrimonium, cetrimide, dofanium chloride, tetraethylammonium bromide, didecyldimethylammonium chloride and domiphen bromide.

Health Hazzard?

Per Seymour Block’s book, Disinfection, Sterilization, and Preservation, all of the compounds above are highly toxic to fish, very highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates, moderately toxic to birds, and slightly toxic to mammals. Benzalkonium chloride solutions of 10% or more are toxic to humans, causing irritation to the skin and mucosa, and death if taken internally.
Benzalkonium chloride is an allergen and several studies have cast doubt on its reputation for safety.

Environmental Working Group on Benzalconium Chloride: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ingredient.php?ingred06=700674

Hand Sanitizers with Benzalconium Chloride:
SoapPopular
Unimed-Midwest Benzalkonium Chloride Antiseptic Towelettes
Hy5Sanitizer

WARNING: Many baby products, including soaps and lotions contain benzalkonium chloride! Please read the labels!

•    Triclosan

What is Triclosan?

Triclosan is an antibacterial and antifungal agent. Triclosan is used in many consumer products, beyond its use in toothpaste to prevent gingivitis, there's no evidence according to the FDA that triclosan provides an extra benefit to health in other consumer products.

Health Hazzard?

Triclosan safety is currently under review by the FDA. Per FDA publication on April 8th, “in light of questions raised by recent animal studies of triclosan, FDA reviewing all of the available evidence on this ingredient’s safety in consumer products. FDA will communicate the findings of its review to the public in spring 2011. At this time, FDA does not have evidence that triclosan added to antibacterial soaps and body washes provides extra health benefits over soap and water. Consumers concerned about using hand and body soaps with triclosan should wash with regular soap and water.
Per Environmental Working Group triclosan causes thyroid disruption in frogs at low levels found in many streams. Human and frog thyroid signaling systems are nearly identical. In tap water and in lakes and streams, triclosan forms chemicals linked to cancer and other health problems, and known to accumulate in animals.

Hand Sanitizers with Triclosan

Non-Alcoholic Triclosan Instant Hand Wash

Recycling Cosmetic Products

noreply@blogger.com (Tanya Broun) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:48:00 +0000

Americans generate approximately 4 pounds of household hazardous waste on an annual basis, with the average household responsible for over 20 pounds of hazardous waste each year.

EPA Data from 2008

Last week I was picking up some staging accessories from a client’s home that has recently sold. I arrived at the location to find a gigantic box full of cosmetic products right at the door step. Apparently, while emptying out the bathroom cabinets, my client found cosmetic/skin care items that have either expired or where no longer used. Your company, Metro Dwelling Designs is all about living "green" she said, so you must know what to do with this stuff other than simply trashing it. Well, I had no clue!

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), many cosmetic products actually classify as household hazardous wastes, meaning that throwing it in the trash or pouring down the sink drain could contaminate ground or surface water, or pose a threat to children and pets in your home.

A hazardous waste can be:

Flammable
Reactive
Corrosive
Toxic

While the situation with nail polish and nail polish remover is quite clear as the latter is known to be both flammable and toxic, guidelines as to the disposal of other cosmetic products are beyond confusing. Such regulations also vary by county and/or state. That means that what can be recycled in the state of Washington, will most likely end up in a trash can (and later in a landfill) somewhere, let’s say, in Kansas.

Charlotte/Mecklenburg (CharMec) Solid Waste and Recycling website lists the following kitchen and bath products that can be recycled:

Cooking oils and grease
Air freshener
Aerosols
General cleaning agents
Disinfectants
Drain cleaner
Floor cleaner
Hair color
Hair spray
Hydrogen peroxide
Isopropyl alcohol
Mildew remover
Nail polish and remover.

For more info on other products that should and can be recycled please visit:
http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/LUESA/Solid+Waste/Household+Hazardous+Waste/Household+Hazardous+Waste+List.htm

The list above is certainly not all “black and white.” Can I recycle a facial toner containing isopropyl alcohol? Is petroleum jelly considered to be grease?

Of course the recent buzz about the effect of parabens (hormone disrupting preservatives found in about every skin care product on the market) poses additional questions. Can I flush down the drain an after-sun aloe gel I bought last year that happens to contain all six known parabens? And what environmental impact will I cause by it?

Per CharMec website, hazardous materials brought in are collected and evaluated for recycling, treatment, or proper disposal. By disposing of household hazardous waste properly, citizens help to protect our water supply and our natural resources.

I am completely psyched about the "evaluation" option and have all of the cosmetic products I perceive to be a health hazard neatly packed in a cardboard box waiting to be taken to the nearest Charlotte/Mecklenburg recycling facility. I look forward to finding first hand as to what can be recycled and sharing the info in a future post.

Please use the following link to find a recycling facility near you:
http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/LUESA/Solid+Waste/Household+Hazardous+Waste/hhw.htm