2008 April | Glamorous Green

Archive for April, 2008

And Walmart Joins the Party

Monday, April 28th, 2008

Unless you lived under a rock, you know replacing incandescent bulbs with fluorescent bulbs helps to save energy. Now Walmart has jumped on board with this helpful tip and a few others in their latest TV campaign. It’s a major turn in events when you think about 200 million buyers doing all these small things and how they add up to making a BIG GREEN difference. Learn More.

How about this one? I’ve heard it said many times that cows are the biggest culprits in the global warming arena. Apparently all the grass they eat makes them pretty gassy and the methane they emit is warming up the environment. Plus, it takes 11 pounds of grain (grass) to produce 1 pound of beef. Walmart suggests drinking soymilk instead. Learn More.

When I last visited my health conscious, socially responsible, psychologist for blind kids in the Bronx sister, she was cleaning her sink with bleach. This is the place where the bottles of her infant son and sippy cups of my 3 year old niece are washed. I reminded her that chlorine bleach is linked to breast cancer in addition to be just plain awful for the earth when the drain eventually dumps into an ocean or a river. She reminded me that she needed to “sterilize” the area so her kids wouldn’t get germs. Ever hear of super germs? I’ve located their birthplace. Thankfully Walmart is now offering a solution for overly paranoid germaphobes. FYI… I use vinegar, lemon and water in a spray bottle, it works pretty well. Learn More.

I drink coffee, lots of coffee. Walmart says if I drink Rainforest Alliance Certified I can help to save 135,000 acres of land. This is because it’s sustainably harvested and you can feel good about knowing people are getting fair (relative) wages for their crops. Learn More.

Finally, one of my biggest pet peeves is American people who drink bottled water, especially Los Angelenos. There was a recent taste test that showed we have some of the best tasting water in the nation. We live in a first world country, it’s ok to drink the water from the faucet. Remember we all did it in elementary all the way to college- from the fountains. We’re all still alive. If you don’t like the taste, it’s easy to add a lemon slice or buy a filter. I get a kick out of the people who won’t drink from the tap at my house, but will drink a Star Bucks, Coke from a soda fountain or iced tea in a restaurant. Uh, what do you think they made those drinks with- bottled water? Nope, it’s tap tap tap! And the same people sit there drinking the water a waiter brings to their table- hello this is tap too and so is the ice! And what about the organic pasta you bought from Whole Foods? You filled the pot with tap water before you boiled it, right? The newly plump pasta is chock full of TAP WATER and then you eat it and live! Bottled water is just ridiculous. Walmart’s pushing a filter, buy it and stop the insanity (and expense) of the bottled water. Learn More.

I admit even I have to buy a bottle of water sometimes. I recently blogged about what to do with the empty bottles. Here’s another ”feel good” solution. Walmart is offering shirts made of recycled bottles. This is cool on a few levels. First, the more people see them, the more they think about recycling and doing their part. Second, the tees are aimed at teens, so we have a new generation being brought up with green values. And finally it’s a tangible product to actually see how the second life of the water bottle (you shouldn’t be buying) is serving a better purpose than being a resident in trash dump. Learn More. Unfortunately Walmart is still manufacturing all this stuff in China which is creating so much pollution that it offsets every action we make toward sustainability. They’ve taken the first step in promoting green products. Let’s hope they will carry on and do something about the bigger problem.

Tags: Wal-mart
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Earth Day and My Favorite Gas Station

Monday, April 21st, 2008

Last summer I was lucky enough to get my dream car the Lexus Hybrid SUV, white with creme interior. I’m constantly carrying loads of design materials around and I’m a regular on construction sites, so it wasn’t long before I had two nails and a screw in my two front tires. They’re slow leaks so I decided to fill them as needed instead of going out and replacing two almost brand new tires. I happen to live a few blocks from two famous LA hot spots- the Kabbalah center and this outrageous BP gas station. I remember when they were building it. Everyone in the neighborhood was like, “what the hell is it?” It looks like something from the Spider Man movie set. When I found out it was going to be a new gas station, I was pretty bummed out because it replaced the most affordable gas station on the Westside. But one day I pulled in to fill up my deflated tire and was pleasantly surprised.

First of all the air was free and the adorable attendant was dressed in what looked to be a stylish hemp jump suit. He asked me if he could help and if I needed the air gauge. This is service you don’t even get at the overpriced, architectural wonder of a 76 station on Burton Way in Beverly Hills. I asked him, “what is going on here?” He recommended a tour if I had a minute. The first thing he showed me was the restroom. In addition to being pretty enough to put into one of my interiors, it ran on solar power, had a grey water system. The floor, sink and low flow faucets were all green products. I couldn’t believe I was standing in a gas station bathroom. When then walked around the station and he pointed out all of the green features: solar panels to power the LED lights, sustainable planting, recycled content decorative metal sheathing. There is even cool, ambient lounge music playing while you pump. Ok, even if it was a few cents more, I was sold on using this stations gas.

On Sunday I was on my way to a cooking class on Robertson and I see that my station is fenced off (with recycled milk carton picket fence sold through Livingreen in Culver City) and people and booths have filled the space where my hybrid normally fuels. I was really in shock. They closed the station in honor of Earth Day and filled it with everything green and a live band. They even featured my new dream car, the Smart Car. I’ve been in love with it for years when I’ve seen it on European holidays, but now it’s a reality on our streets. BP promoting this car ultimately means less fuel sales for them. The entire experience was surreal.

A greedy fuel company forfeited a day of business to give back to community? Is this really happening? I guess things are changing.

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What to do With Those Empty Water Bottles

Tuesday, April 15th, 2008

The first time I saw this gorgeous Voss water bottle I was in the Four Seasons Hotel in New York. I think only because the bottle was so pretty I was compelled to pay seven dollars for water. There was no way I was going to just toss it! There are flower vendors on almost every corner in Manhattan. So I bought some Gerber Daisies, went back to the room and used that sexy bottle as a vase. I was delighted to the see what Michelle Kauffman had come up with on her blog. I guess she must have been seduced by that Voss bottle too.

To help keep a west wall cool in the warmer months of the year, you can drink all the Voss you like and use the bottles to construct a water wall. The water in the bottles acts as a thermal mass absorbing and storing the heat which can be released later in the evening when it might be needed. Any type of bottle can be used, but the entire point is that is should be a bottle you would have otherwise thrown away.

The wall is not only resourceful, but it’s beautiful. While it provides protection from the heat and privacy from the outside world, the light beams pass through the windows and bounce all over your walls. You can customize the look by adding flowers, leaves or even food coloring. Please check out Michelle’s DIY Water Wall Guide for more information. AND ENJOY!!

Posted in Green Living, Materials | 3 Comments »

New Guidelines Make It Easier To Go Green

Monday, April 7th, 2008

Before

After

Green living is about the whole enchilada. It’s about doing a lot of little things, and maybe even a few big ones, that improve our lives, the environment and our economy. Our homes play a crucial role in the equation. New-home buyers are finding an increasing number of communities built in varying shades of green, and that’s a great trend. But what about the rest of us living in our existing, not-quite-so-green homes?

Most people want a greener home. Who wouldn’t want to reduce their power bill, be more comfortable and provide a healthier place for their family? Home remodeling is a $200 billion-a-year industry and is expected to double during the next five years as our housing stock ages. Every remodel, repair or upgrade represents an opportunity to go green.

What options do we have and just how do we go about deciding what to do first?

Green building programs and guidelines have traditionally focused on new construction, not remodeling. The American Society of Interior Designers Foundation and the U.S. Green Building Council recently launched the nation’s first green residential remodeling guidelines. This excellent resource is available online at www.greenhomeguide.org.

Organized into the 10 most common remodeling projects, the Regreen Residential Guidelines are designed to provide professionals and homeowners with resources and tools to green existing homes. The guidelines can be applied to a variety of projects, from remodeling a kitchen to executing a full-scale renovation.

Even if you aren’t thinking of greening your home at the moment, browsing through the Regreen Residential Guidelines will undoubtedly result in some light bulb moments and flashes of inspiration. The well-illustrated 182-page document is chock-full of examples and case studies. It is not a technical how-to manual but strikes a good balance between detail and readability.

The Regreen Residential Guidelines will provide useful information to contractors, homeowners, elected officials and other policy-makers. As we tackle the issues of our time, such as climate change, growth, energy and economics, having the right tools is essential. This one should be in everyone’s toolbox. It’s a compendium of best practice guidelines and educational resources for sustainable residential improvement projects.

The thing about tools is that even the best of them serve no purpose if they are not used wisely. We now have a resource that can quite literally help us transform our community, but we must use it. Don’t wait for the other guy — it’s about you and me. We have a job to do, so let’s get to work!

Regardless of your budget or your home’s age, size or condition, there is something in the Regreen Residential Guidelines that makes sense for your situation. The cool thing about greening an existing home is that you can do it in small, incremental steps. Each improvement can build on previous ones and they are often complementary.

For example, adding extra insulation might be a good initial investment to make a home more energy efficient. Getting ductwork tested and properly sealed can eliminate costly leaks, a common problem. Changing out some windows might also lower energy costs. If the time comes to install a new air-conditioning unit, perhaps it can be downsized due to the home’s improved efficiency, a result of the previous improvements. At this point, adding a solar electric system would be much more cost-effective due to the home’s reduced electrical needs.

Putting some thought into the process is much better than implementing haphazard projects with no plan. Taking a holistic, integrated approach is the best way to go and the Regreen Residential Guidelines do a good job explaining how.

Posted in Green Building, Green Living | No Comments »

Architectural Digest's Westweek 08 at the PDC ASID Green Building Panel

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

Last week I moderated a green building panel at West week. We discussed strategies for using green materials and building processes. The audience was comprised mostly of interior designers, so I decided to keep it light and show some pretty pictures of recent green projects and devulge information about where to find the green materials. Sarah Rich, an editor from Dwell shared some of the projects being featured in Dwell’s Off the Grid section. Kris Kimble revealed his plans for edu-retailer Greenhive, 40,000 square foot green market places built around a green library. Greg Loosvelt from Earth Pledge shed light on the methods and benefits of green roofs. I’m a big fan of green roofs. In addition to preventing some of the nasty runoff into oceans, lakes and rivers, they help heat and cool the interiors of buildings. They’re also some of the most peaceful and private places you can be. While we’re all so busy thinking about the health of the planet in regards to being green, Mary Cordaro reminded us of something equally important, our individual health. That’s when it hit me. This is how I deal with objections to cost when trying to make clients understand about why to go green. Most of my clients have no problem throwing down $150 for a 3 ounce bottle of face cream but they look at me funny when I tell them to finish the walls with Earth Plaster for an extra $2.00 per square foot. (Love the Earth Plaster! Looks beautiful and absorbs and releases moisture as needed.) Using less toxic materials which don’t offgass poisonous chemicals might be good for more than just the face- your entire epidermis will thank you. Check out Mary Cordaro’s website www.h3environmental.com for more scientific information. The panel was packed, standing room only, and I think most people walked away thinking, “this makes sense and it’s easier to do than I thought.” That was my big goal for the day, that and having a great time at Westweek- mission accomplished!

Tags: Architectural Digest, ASID, Dwell Magazine, Earth Pledge, Green Building, green roofs, H3 Environmental, interior design
Posted in Events, Materials, Public Speaking | No Comments »

[LORI DENNIS INTERIOR DESIGN]

Lori Dennis formed Lori Dennis Interior Design, specializing in green interior design, in 1998. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Coastal Living, Southern Accents, Woman's Day, Los Angeles Times, Apartment Therapy and countless other magazines, books and websites throughout the world. [more..]

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